President Obama continued to make the case for sweeping economic reforms this week.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - President Obama continued to make the case for sweeping economic reforms this week as he approaches the symbolically important 100-day mark in his presidency.

In a major speech on Tuesday, Obama sought to explain his administration's efforts to simultaneously fight the financial crisis and build a foundation for future prosperity.
He also responded to criticism that he is attempting to do too much and defended his plans to make big investments in education, health care and energy.

Echoing comments made last week, Obama said he sees "glimmers of hope" in the economy. But he tempered that by saying "we're not out of the woods just yet."

"There is no doubt that times are still tough," Obama told students and faculty at Georgetown University. "But from where we stand, for the very first time, we're beginning to see glimmers of hope."

At the same time, Obama sought to frame the debate over how to right the nation's economy as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill next week after a two-week recess.